Fred was born in Flint and lived his adult life in Davison, graduating from Davison High School. He attended General Motors Institute (now Kettering).

He entered the military in 1943 and proudly served in the Tenth Mountain Division in the Mediterranean Theater, Rome, Arno and Northern Apennines Campaigns. He was employed at Buick Motor Division as a supervisor of plant #28, for 18 years. Fred became self-employed in the retail food sector for 25 years, retiring in 1986.